The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-07-18

F
ease, our culture, our worldly good OF
every kind are so ordained in His good
providence that duty shall be frightened
and that we may cheerfully in the CON
sciousness of his love take up the duties OF
life. whether it be for Us Il life OF sacrifice
or d life OF submission. Test your pleasures
then by this: Do they make you more
/ cheerful in the discharge OF your daily
/ duties TO God and 10 your neighbor' DO
/ they warm your heart 70 do Gods wili2
/ Do they make you grateful for the very
! powers in you which make them possible2
! God is not hard taskmaster, but our
/ loving Father. He blesses our pleasures,
/ our comforts our wealth, our health, if
/ they sweeten our tempers and enlarge our
/ hearts TO our fellows; if they smooth
| down the roughness OF our characters and
! give US the glad enjoyment OF life which
/ helps Us In bearing our burdens without
/ complaining and doing our duty in the
/ spirit OF single hearted seli-sacrihce. 1t IS
! good for US 10 Put ourselves TO such test.
/ and if we discover that we are abusing the
/ things Indifferent there is but one safe
/ course and that is TO refuse utterly to be
/ ruled and enslaved by anything lawful or
! unlawful which 10y abuse or excess en-
/ teebles the character or vitiates the life.
/ And lest | seem to any OF you To be dealing
/ zoo much in gcneralitcs, let me speak Of
! some common feelings which make it diff
/ cult to apply the rule. 1t is lawful for "A
merchant to exact oi his creditor every
/ penny which il his due, or TO realize in his
( business ventures the utmost that can be
Z - 10,
; however; II IS modifying, etc Even look
ing at it from purely selfish view, If
1 thereby he acquires reputation OF hard
! dealing, if ayaricc grows on him and he
/ become the slave OF the lust Of gain; of
! snch it is written 1t is easier" etc II is
lawful for woman to he much in society
il she wills, to give pleasure and enjoy
pleasure; il is iucxpedicnt even in rcla-
ton 10 earthly happiness, instead Of edit
cation there is destruction OF the souls
powers, and dcbasing slavery to the love
Of the world. When life loses noble pur-
poses and high ambitions; when the daily
duties Of domestic life become irksOmc;
when sclf-culture and all mental and moral
discipline are cast aside in the passion OF
admiration of chains that are physical and
earthly; when the dance, the company,
the wine and feast are loved for the sen
>uous delights that are in them. 1t III law
iul for Us 10 choose our company, and
select those whom we make our personal
friends. 1t il decidedly incxpedient and
modifying if we choose those who directly
lead US into sin or lower by their influence
our standard Of right; it is even worse for
US il we have suffered selGshneas 10 guide
our choice in seeking under the sncred
Ruise Of friendship, patronage, entertain
inent and comfort from those with whom
we have no mutual ties or interests
RecrcatiOns, pleasures, studies, even
good works must cave under these whole
some laws Of conscience which concern
their expcdiency, their edification and
power over rs for good or evil. II is law
iul, yea il is sacrcdly binding on those
who are specially called to good works in
the Kingdom Of God TO be jealous md
eager 10 selzc all occasions and opportu-
mites, but they have no license TO invade
the rights and privileges Of other and cause
confusion among those who are equally
called and furnished for the Masters
work
It Is lawful for NJ to gather pleasure and
both to encourage and provoke harmless
rnirth, 10 do IL neither right nor wrong in
itself. but it bchooyes ua 10 use such
1t ridicn!e NC wound. lest wit aud sarcasm
pierce like poisoned arrows, Ucst We be
come careless "a 10 truth and lose all rev
creucc for the things Of the soul and Of
God that are too sacred for the =cnaecas
chattcring and that profanc familiarity
III
curry further, if you viii, into the aims
nnd motives Of life. We ought to know
what we are doing ia regard to things
which God has made Indifferent in them
selves. Il the spirit Of love entering into
our uac oi them DO We cherish the spirit
Of love toward God our Heavenly Father
and His Blessed Son, who dee fDf un by
doing loving things, by searching out occa-
ni0us Of kindness and good will, by hon
estly eudcayoduK 10 spread happine-s
around us. bg doing sometime for others
thing ne do not like md trying t. do
them ehcerfnuY. Are we walking thus IN
tile law Of liberty All thinga ARE lawful
arc We guided in the choice between what
is expedient Or ineHpedient, etc, between
what ia cdifyiug and modifying. between
" hat ~" can raj. and what rules as, by ii
wise discretion which h. the prfl OF God
Let re cultivate the power 81 choosing
Ucll aud wisely. God will guide SIS with
iis counsel If 80 will hear Ills voice
Within us may lie kindlc the holy fire
open oar ears to Ills Heavenly call lead
u BY His holy hand. aud bring ua 10 know
Ills tenderness and loving Kindness. May
he teach Hs hy iIia dealings with ua that
our grent fewurd is not ia Hhnt Ne shall
receive. but ia what we SHAH become And
what we shall become depends upon our
loyalty 10 Him ia all things, whether com
mnuded "r indifferent, which He hne or
daiued to work together for good t. those
Nho love God
ISLAND NOTES.